Illuminating device



Aug. 19, 1958 N. URBAN 2,848,639

ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Sept; 20, 1955 1 l I VI /ll I 'l/ II I! NoeMA URaAN;

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS hired States ILLUWATING DEVI'CE Norman Urban, Par-ma, Ghio Application September 20, 1955, Serial No. 535,380

7 Claims. (Cl. 313ll3) The speeds at which powered vehicles travel the high ways today makes the illumination from the lights on low beam inadequate for safety and many accidents can be directly traced to this shortcoming of the present headlamps. When the headlamps are positioned on high beam, adequate illumination is furnished for the higher driving speeds, but the approaching trafiic is blinded to a great extent by the source of light and glare of the reflectors. This invention is a solution to this problem in that it provides an illuminating device which is equal or superior in illuminating qualities to the present widely used conventional sealed beam headlights on high beam without a blinding glare.

More specifically, the present invention relates to light projecting means comprising in general a reflector and lens so arranged relative to a source of light as to project rays from the latter, and masking means so arranged relative to the source and reflector as to substantially hide them from the normal point of view. The tion is particularly adapted for headli hts of automobiles and when so embodied the light source and reflecting surface are substantially concealed from view by an approaching motorist.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel illuminating device having means for directing adequate illumination to a desired area and also having means for minimizing glare.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sealed beam light unit wherein the source of light is positioned between a lens and a reflecting surface and is directed rearwardly against the reflecting surface from whence the light rays are directed to the lens and focused through a small slot or opening formed in tl it sur face of a hood device which substantially covers the front portion of the sealed beam unit to t y .1231; the reflector and light source to minimize efr it is a further object of this invention t: hood device on the front portion of a sealed sea 1 light wherein the front wall of the hood device having the light emitting slot or opening therein is spaced from the outer surface of the headlight lens and openings are provided in the sides, top and bottom of the hood device adjacent the front surface of the lens to permit cooling of the lens and the portions of the hood defining the light emitting slot.

It 'is another object of this invention to provide an illuminating device which provides adequate illumination for high-speed night driving without giving off an offending glare and therefore eliminates the necessity of providing two beams, i. e., a high beam and a low beam and consequently eliminates the dimmer switch heretofore employed, thus reducing the cost of manufacture.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the illuminating device;

Patented Aug. l9, l958 Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 33 in Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 broadly indicates an air evacuated sealed lamp shell preferably molded from heat-resistant glass having a concavely curved rear wall portion lfla, when viewed from its inner side, on which is provided a reflective coating serving as a reflector 11. A concavely curved lens portion 12 serves as the front wall of the lamp shell. The lamp shell iii has a bottom wall 1% which lies in a horizontal plane toward which the top wall lilo of the lamp shell converges to define therebetween at the front the lens 12. The lamp shell 1d has forwardly diverging side walls llld, llle to provide the lens 12 with suflicient width to receive all the light rays from the reflector 1.1. The walls Na, 1%, the, llld and lite are all preferably formed from non-reflective lightproof glass.

A U-shaped hood or masking device broadly indicated at 13 preferably formed of a rigid heat-resistant material is bonded to the top and bottom Walls lilc, ltlb of the lamp shell 10 to act as a mask to substantially hide or conceal the reflector 11 from view. A source of light or filament 14 is provided at a mid-point between the sides of the lamp shell in adjacent the lens 12 and has its upper end facing rearwardly for directing the light rays rearwardly to e reflected from the reflector If desired, the light or filament is may he provided with a conveumnsl nlament shield for preventing the stray light rays from passing through the lens 12, prior to being reflected and directed by the reflector ii.

The hood 13 is provided with open ends as can be readily observed in Figure 1 "rd is provided with upper and lower openings or ape cs 15 and lo, respectively, for cooling the lens 12 heated by the heat generated by the concentrated "light rays. slot or opening 20 corresponding in length substantially to that of the lens 12 is provided in the front wall of the hood 13 through which light rays 24 reflected from the reflector 11 and focused by the lens 1" pass to illuminate the area in front of the illuminating device. The hood 13 is preferably formed fro a light-proof and heat-resistant material so as to C81 etely mask all light except the light permitted to directed through the opening or slot 2!? and to prevent the heat generated by the concentrated light rays from dam" g the material defining the opening or slot The i th of the slot or opening 29 is determined by the degree that the lens 12 focuses the light rays 24. However, it will be appreciated that the narrower the slot the greater th masking effect and the slot should be of the least pos. ole width commensurate with adequate illumination.

As shown Figure 2 portion of the reflector til at a higher elevation than the slot 2% directs the ht rays outwardly in a horizontal downward direction from the slot 29. This aids in reducing the glare to an approaching motorist since the illuminating device is normally positioned below the eye level of an a roaching motorist. For mounting the illuminating device, for example, on a vehicle, a pair of upper lower lugs 21, 22 are provided on the hood i3 and a rear lug 23 formed in the medial portion of the rear wall integral with the lamp shell ll} through which suitable means such as bolts are received for firmly securing the illuminating device to the vehicle.

The illuminating device of the present invention may be made of any desired length such as to extend substantially across the front of a vehicle and any desired number of filaments may be used.

of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

1 claim:

1. An illuminating device comprising a sealed lamp shell, a concavely-shaped reflector provided in the rear portion of the shell, a lens concavely-shaped throughout its entirety and forming the front portion of the lamp shell, a light source positioned in the lamp shell adjacent the lens,.a light-proof hood secured to the front portion of the lamp shell in spaced relation to the lens and'havinga slot in its foremost portion through which the light rays reflected from the reflector and focused by the lens are directed, and said hood having means for permitting the cooling of the lens from the heat generated by the concentrated light rays.

2. An illuminating device comprising a lamp shell having a substantially flat horizontally positioned bottom wall and an upper wall converging towards the bottom wall, a concavely curved reflector on the inner surface of the rear wall of the lamp shell, a concavely curved lens forming the front Wall of the lamp shell, a light source positioned at a mid-point in the bottom wall of the lamp shell and adjacent said lens, a substantially U-shaped light-proof hood secured to the front portion of the lamp shell, said hood having a small slot positioned in a medial portion of the front wall thereof and having openings formed in the top and bottom portions of the hood for permitting air to flow therethrough for cooling the lens from the heat generated by the concentrated light rays.

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein the major portion of at least the reflector is positioned on a higher level than the slot to direct the light rays from the source of light outwardly from the slot in a horizontal and downward direction.

4. An illuminating device comprising a lamp shell, a reflector on the inner surface of the rear portion of the shell, a lens forming the front wall of the shell, a light source positioned adjacent the lens for generating light rays to be reflected from the reflector, a U-shaped hood secured to the front portion of the lamp shell and having a horizontally positioned slot in a medial portion thereof extending a substantial distance across the width of the device, and the front portion of said U-shaped hood being spaced from the lens and having openings in the top and bottom portions thereof for permitting air to flow therethrough and cool the lens from the heat generated by the concentrated light.

'5. An illuminating device comprising a sealed lamp shell having converging upper and lower walls and for- '4' wardly diverging side walls, a concavely curved lens forming the front wall of the shell, a'concavely curved rear wall, a reflector provided on the inner surface of the rear wall, a light source positioned in a medial portion of the lamp shell for directing the light rays rearwardly to the reflector, and light-proof means connected to the outer surface of the lamp shell and extending forwardly thereof and having its foremost portion positioned immediately in front of the lens. and in spaced relation thereto, the foremost portion of the light-proof means having a relatively small opening therein for permitting the light rays focused by the lens to pass therethrough while substantially hiding fromvie w the major portions of the lens and reflector whereby the glare caused by the reflector will be substantially eliminated.

6. An illuminating device comprising a lamp shell having a reflector on the inner surface of the rear wall, a concavely curved lens forming the front wall of the lamp shell, a light source positioned in the lamp shell adjacent the lens and 'directing'substantially all of the light rays emanating therefrom rearwardly. to the reflector, light-proof means secured to the lamp shell and' spaced forwardly from the lens for substantially masking the lens and reflector, said light-proof means having a relatively small opening in its foremost portion for per mitting the light rays focused by the lens to be emitted therethrough, and the major portion of the reflector being positioned on a higher level than the opening to direct the light rays from the source of light outwardly from the opening in a horizontal and downward direction.

7. An illuminating device comprising a sealed lamp shell, a concavely curved lens forming the front wall of the shell, a concavely curved rear wall, a reflector provided on the inner surface of the rear wall, a light source,

positioned in a medial portion of the lamp shell and directing substantially all of the light rays emanating therefrom rearwardly to the reflector, and a light-proof hood connected to the outer surface of the lamp' shell and extending forwardly therefrom, the foremost portion of the hood being spaced immediately in frontof the lens,

said hood having a slot in its foremost portion for pen. rnitting the light rays focused by the lens to pass there-.

through while substantially hiding from view the major. portions of the lens and reflector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Teele Aug, 15, V 1950 

